and watched. Finally Jim Piggot caught me by surprise. He handed me a piece of
iron; red hot on one end, and said “hold this.” I laid it on the anvil. Then he hand-
ed ME the hammer and said “hit it.”
iron; red hot on one end, and said “hold this.” I laid it on the anvil. Then he hand-
ed ME the hammer and said “hit it.”
Gentle reader, if you don‘t want to get hooked on blacksmithing, don’t ever do this!
Seconds later I knew that I had a new hobby. By the following Tuesday, I had bor-
rowed enough equipment to start hammering at home. By the end of December,
there was a blacksmith shop in my yard. In trying to gather up equipment, I
learned that there was an on-line chat room for blacksmiths, and that a lot of these
guys really knew their stuff. My interest in the craft was enhanced by
www.anvilfire.com. Every day I had access to experienced blacksmiths to guide
me along; it was an on-line community. After we had all become friends, we decid-
ed to get together. I hosted a “Hammer In” at my place in 2001.
rowed enough equipment to start hammering at home. By the end of December,
there was a blacksmith shop in my yard. In trying to gather up equipment, I
learned that there was an on-line chat room for blacksmiths, and that a lot of these
guys really knew their stuff. My interest in the craft was enhanced by
www.anvilfire.com. Every day I had access to experienced blacksmiths to guide
me along; it was an on-line community. After we had all become friends, we decid-
ed to get together. I hosted a “Hammer In” at my place in 2001.
My friend Robert Erle Barham kept bringing his buddies by to play in the fire.
These were really bright young men and seemed to love it. I saw how much plea-
sure and camaraderie took place in the forge. These guys, many med students, had
never had any kind of experience with hand crafts. One said “This has been one of
the nicest weekends I have ever spent.” Our old buildings seem to make people
feel very much at home.
These were really bright young men and seemed to love it. I saw how much plea-
sure and camaraderie took place in the forge. These guys, many med students, had
never had any kind of experience with hand crafts. One said “This has been one of
the nicest weekends I have ever spent.” Our old buildings seem to make people
feel very much at home.
Starr made it to the Hammer in 2002. She loved it. We could not know that she
would leave us in October. After her death I found myself with buildings and
equipment, no children and no one to share my life with. Hammer ins, and visits
from Robert Erle and his friends, became real highlights. The path from there is a
little hazy. Starr Homeplace is not exactly something I decided to do. It is some-
thing that happened to me.
would leave us in October. After her death I found myself with buildings and
equipment, no children and no one to share my life with. Hammer ins, and visits
from Robert Erle and his friends, became real highlights. The path from there is a
little hazy. Starr Homeplace is not exactly something I decided to do. It is some-
thing that happened to me.
At some point the idea of a crafts center began to form in my mind. I began it on
the first anniversary of Starr‘s death. Our goal was to import craftsmanship exper-
tise into the area by sending people on scholarship to the John C. Campbell folk
school. Try as we might, no one applied for the scholarships. Community Days
began in February of 2004. It was slow going, but interesting folks started showing
up with interesting skills. I gradually realized that there were a lot of capable
craftsmen laboring alone in Northeastern Louisiana. We needed to find them all,
encourage and support them. We have now had 25 Community Days. Thousands
of people have attended.
the first anniversary of Starr‘s death. Our goal was to import craftsmanship exper-
tise into the area by sending people on scholarship to the John C. Campbell folk
school. Try as we might, no one applied for the scholarships. Community Days
began in February of 2004. It was slow going, but interesting folks started showing
up with interesting skills. I gradually realized that there were a lot of capable
craftsmen laboring alone in Northeastern Louisiana. We needed to find them all,
encourage and support them. We have now had 25 Community Days. Thousands
of people have attended.
At some point I heard an author by the name of Richard Florida expound a new
economic model called the creative class. It includes artists, inventors, engineers,
and computer programmers. This economy is already larger
economic model called the creative class. It includes artists, inventors, engineers,
and computer programmers. This economy is already larger
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